| hebrew | kjv | web | basic | ||||
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| 1. |
גם־אלה משלי שלמה אשר העתיקו אנשי חזקיה מלך־יהודה׃ |
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. | These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. | These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah. | |||
| 2. |
כבד אלהים הסתר דבר וכבד מלכים חקר דבר׃ |
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. | It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. | It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out. | |||
| 3. |
שמים לרום וארץ לעמק ולב מלכים אין חקר׃ |
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable. | As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. | The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out. | |||
| 4. |
הגו סיגים מכסף ויצא לצרף כלי׃ |
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. | Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner; | Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker. | |||
| 5. |
הגו רשע לפני־מלך ויכון בצדק כסאו׃ |
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness. | Take away the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness. | Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness. | |||
| 6. |
אל־תתהדר לפני־מלך ובמקום גדלים אל־תעמד׃ |
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: | Don't exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men; | Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great: | |||
| 7. |
כי טוב אמר־לך עלה הנה מהשפילך לפני נדיב אשר ראו עיניך׃ |
For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen. | for it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen. | For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler. | |||
| 8. |
אל־תצא לרב מהר פן מה־תעשה באחריתה בהכלים אתך רעך׃ |
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. | Don't be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you? | Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame? | |||
| 9. |
ריבך ריב את־רעך וסוד אחר אל־תגל׃ |
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: | Debate your case with your neighbor, and don't betray the confidence of another; | Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another: | |||
| 10. |
פן־יחסדך שמע ודבתך לא תשוב׃ |
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away. | lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart. | Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away. | |||
| 11. |
תפוחי זהב במשכיות כסף דבר דבר על־אפניו׃ |
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. | A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. | A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver. | |||
| 12. |
נזם זהב וחלי־כתם מוכיח חכם על־אזן שמעת׃ |
As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. | As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear. | Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention. | |||
| 13. |
כצנת־שלג ביום קציר ציר נאמן לשלחיו ונפש אדניו ישיב׃ |
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters. | As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters. | As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master. | |||
| 14. |
נשיאים ורוח וגשם אין איש מתהלל במתת־שקר׃ |
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain. | As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively. | As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given. | |||
| 15. |
בארך אפים יפתה קצין ולשון רכה תשבר־גרם׃ |
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone. | By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone. | A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken. | |||
| 16. |
דבש מצאת אכל דיך פן־תשבענו והקאתו׃ |
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. | Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it. | If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down. | |||
| 17. |
הקר רגלך מבית רעך פן־ישבעך ושנאך׃ |
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee. | Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you. | Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate. | |||
| 18. |
מפיץ וחרב וחץ שנון איש ענה ברעהו עד שקר׃ |
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. | A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow. | One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow. | |||
| 19. |
שן רעה ורגל מועדת מבטח בוגד ביום צרה׃ |
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint. | Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot. | Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot. | |||
| 20. |
מעדה בגד ביום קרה חמץ על־נתר ושר בשרים על לב־רע׃ |
As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. | As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. | Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart. | |||
| 21. |
אם־רעב שנאך האכלהו לחם ואם־צמא השקהו מים׃ |
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: | If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink: | If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water: | |||
| 22. |
כי גחלים אתה חתה על־ראשו ויהוה ישלם־לך׃ |
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. | for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and Yahweh will reward you. | For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward. | |||
| 23. |
רוח צפון תחולל גשם ופנים נזעמים לשון סתר׃ |
The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. | The north wind brings forth rain: so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face. | As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly. | |||
| 24. |
טוב שבת על־פנת־גג מאשת מדונים ובית חבר׃ |
It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house. | It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman. | It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house. | |||
| 25. |
מים קרים על־נפש עיפה ושמועה טובה מארץ מרחק׃ |
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. | Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. | As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country. | |||
| 26. |
מעין נרפש ומקור משחת צדיק מט לפני־רשע׃ |
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring. | Like a muddied spring, and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. | Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers. | |||
| 27. |
אכל דבש הרבות לא־טוב וחקר כבדם כבוד׃ |
It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory. | It is not good to eat much honey; nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor. | It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured. | |||
| 28. |
עיר פרוצה אין חומה איש אשר אין מעצר לרוחו׃ |
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. | Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint. | He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into. | |||